Deaf & Hard
Of Hearing

ALL of the following must be true

• Students from ages 3 to 22-years old.
• Students enrolled in a public K-12 school.
• The student has at least a 30 decibel bilateral hearing loss.
• Live in rural areas that do not have access to a teacher of the deaf.
• The student CAN have additional mild to severe disabilities.

• SESA’s services are provided at no cost to school districts.
• SESA provides consultation to school districts.
• Although we often interact with the student, we do not provide direct service to the student. We can’t be written into the Individual Education Plan (IEP) as a service provider.
• We do not provide interpreter services.

1. Visit the school to support the educational team.
2. Assist in the development of the educational programs, assessment, assist in the development of appropriate educational goals for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing students.
3. Arrange on-site visits based on site needs.
4. Provide resources such as ASL videos and books.
5. Train staff in educating a student with a hearing loss.

You must have permission from the custodial parent(s) and the special education director.

You will need:

1. The student’s Individual Education Plan (IEP)
2. Evaluation Summary and Eligibility Report (ESSER)
3. Medical records showing a hearing loss (look for an “audiogram” or “audiological report”)
4. Referral Checklist
5. District Referral Signature
6. Mutual Exchange of Information (MEI)

• Exhibit a hearing impairment that hinders the child's ability to process linguistic information through hearing, with or without amplification and that adversely affects educational performance; and
• Require special facilities, equipment, or methods to make his or her educational program effective; and
• Be diagnosed by a physician or audiologist as deaf; and
• Be certified by a group consisting of qualified professionals and a parent of the child as qualifying for and needing special education services.

• Exhibit a hearing impairment, whether permanent or fluctuating, that adversely affects educational performance but is not within the meaning of deaf; and
• Require special facilities, equipment, or methods to make his or her educational program effective; and
• Be diagnosed by a physician or audiologist as hard of hearing; and
• Be certified by a group consisting of qualified professionals and a parent of the child as qualifying for and needing special education services.